I couldn't agree to the article more. I am from Korea two years back to pursue my advanced studies. I have been living here in Queens sine then. One of things that makes me feel uncomfortable every day is to hear street harass. I was very upset about it, so as a resort I consulted with one of my American male friend. He said me to simply ignore them. In fact, I feel now pathetic to the men on street in that they do not know what they are saying and how disrespectfully they look to others. There should be somthing done in order to prevent them from casting those indecent remarks, sounds, or even sounds on women who do not deserve them at all. Please...

Sent by Mihyun Yun | 1:03 AM ET | 07-03-2007

This is good to see in one sense but a bummer that it is needed. Women deserve men who respect them and truly understand their beauty and their unique expression of God's love. A good man will control his passions and stand up for a woman in a harassment situation. Not because of his inherent goodness ... but because he understands the power and goodness of sex as God created it and meant it to be.

A good man understands that women are an image of God, just like them, except (thank God) different. A person should not treat an image of God with disrespect, male or female. In the long run we actually remain closer if we do that. Instead of inserting a barrier between a beautiful woman and our selves and the group we may be with, we should allow respect to keep us on the same plane.

Telling a woman she is beautiful is much different than harassing her on the street. That is not the time or place to interface in an unwanted way. Contain your "vigor" and use its power to provide respect for her and yourself. If it is hard to do, ask Christ for the grace to understand her true beauty. Her true beauty, like yours, rests in the fact that she is an image of God.

There is a time and a place for the celebration of sexual difference but on the street with strangers is not intimate enough. It is like bringing a suit of armor with shield and sword to a pool. It is medieval and weak in that allows the worst side of oneself to greet a stranger - and a beautiful stranger at that. What kind of gift is that to offer for such sensitivity and beauty? Note the eventual outcome ... her retreat and her desire to learn marital arts moves ... very un-feminine.

We men should provide an environment for sweet things to thrive. Through Christ's grace we can. (This is based on John Paul II's Theology of the Body).

Sent by George Kloss | 8:47 AM ET | 07-03-2007

George... you've got a screw or two loose. Put down the Bible for a bit, and read a book that will actually teach you something useful about how to treat people, like Dostoevsky or Vonnegut.

Sorry to hear that you need faith in an imaginary god to do the right thing regarding women.

Me, I learned what I needed to know about that subject by observing my Father's loving, supportive, appreciative, affectionate, respectful, and encouraging treatment of my mother, and the rest of us.

Strangely enough, we're all atheists. Funny how that works out.

Sent by Grouse | 11:22 AM ET | 07-04-2007

As a former New Yorker to be exact a Brooklynite born and raised I resent the comments that the way women dress causes the sexual harrassement and cat calls.I worked for most of my adult life as a psychologist and as such dressed professionally , it did not matter I was still assailed with crude remarks and cat calls. I remember one particular incident when a well dressed man attache case and all (and I hate to classify him along with the likes of my father, friends and others of the male gender that comport themselves properly) who after smiling pleasantly, blocked my path and make a very crude comment. It was scenarios like this that were becoming the norm rather than the exception that caused me to leave a city that I loved.

Sent by Santarpia McNeill | 12:23 PM ET | 07-06-2007

Thanks for saying that Santarpia and Mihyun. One reason I am so interested in "Hey Shorty" is because it's so rare to see women organize directly against this kind of everyday attack. We're often taught that this is just part of what it means to be female (and even that we should in fact feel complimented).

I remember how when I left nyc for a new job, many of my friends were surprised I wasn't sadder about my departure. And I remember feeling physical relief that I would face less harassment in my new hometown. It had hit the point where I'd think twice about little things, like running to the store, because I just didn't have the energy for all the bulls**t. And it didn't matter what I was wearing or how I carried myself. Being female (and black to boot) was quite enough invitation. Before my move out of nyc, I had lived in cities all of my life. I know how to handle myself, and can even say that I've had some pretty fun and pretty harmless flirtations on the street. But something in the last ten years or so has changed, and the harassment has become far more common and far more overt in its violence.

I am sure that the girls who've made this film are fully aware of this violence, its presence and its potential, and they soldiered on anyway. This is a really big deal.

Sent by marisa | 3:02 PM ET | 07-06-2007

Bravo! This is such a huge issue for women and completely goes under the radar. I think it's interesting that so much of the blame for men's behavior is shifted to women. We're supposed to change how we dress, change how we walk, change how we respond, change the route we take to get to work, but men aren't 'supposed' to change anything. I think it's high time that men are held accountable for their actions.

Sent by Feminist Review | 11:14 AM ET | 07-13-2007